Autopilot
by Caelta
Summary: Drifting through space in the confines of a small shuttlecraft, they are alone. Together. K/S


A/N: This is yet another one of my dialogue fics, so use that noodle and read it like a script without stage directions. Reviews, as always, are very much appreciated. Cheers!

Disclaimer: All I own is the movie, a t-shirt, and an imagination. No copywright infringement intended.

* * *

"Captain…?"

"Mr. Spock."

"Is there any reasoning behind your proximity, Sir? I assure you that I am quite qualified in the expertise of handling a shuttlecraft, thus you need not check me from over my shoulder."

"Of course, Mr. Spock. Does a man need a reason to stand in a certain spot if he so wishes, even if it directly behind another man?"

"I presume not, Captain, though your endeavor to 'breath down my neck' as you say is highly—"

"Don't you dare say that word, Spock."

"Captain…I merely—"

"Commander, I'm ordering you as your captain to refrain from using the words 'logical' or 'illogical' for the duration of this shuttle trip. Do I make myself clear?"

"Quite. I shall do so, Sir. Though, I must say, your ill favor for the words bodes extremely…irrational."

"…Spock…"

"Yes, Captain?"

"…make that synonyms, as well. You aren't to utter anything that even relatively means 'logical' or its antonym. That's an order."

"Indeed…? May I make an inquiry as to your health, Jim?"

"My _health_, Mr. Spock, is in perfect working condition, except for the headache I'm starting to feel."

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure? Of course I'm sure. You're starting to act like Bones."

"Insult, Captain, was hardly necessary. I was only trying to derive a reason from my assessment of your peculiar behavior."

"Great Galaxy! There, I moved. Does that satisfy your assessment, Spock?"

"On the contrary, your belligerent manner at present acts as substantiation of your less than satisfactory condition."

"Look here; if I'm being belligerent, it's because I'm irritated. What does that say, Mr. Spock?"

"Obviously, something of the capacity has recently inflicted you with irritancy."

"Now, I wonder what could _possibly_ have that capacity, hmm?"

"I propose that you take this time to rest, Captain. Encounters as of late would seem to have left you in the need."

"Sleep, Mr. Spock…? I don't think so. You _have_ noticed that we're the only two people in this shuttle?"

"Invariably, I have, Captain. I do not see the consequence."

"If something happens, I'm responsible. Even with you piloting this thing, I'm not incapacitated, and a secondary pilot is required."

"A co-pilot is hardly needed under the circumstance, Captain. At this point, even a primary pilot would have difficulty in finding work. In such a zone, it can be noted that the auto setting is also quite acceptable, perhaps with some surveillance."

"Put it on auto, then."

"Sir, I see no reason—"

"The course is already laid in. Put her on auto, Spock."

"As you wish, Captain, but I do not see the effectiveness to your judgment."

"We're both alone in this shuttle, _Commander_."

"That…would seem irrelevant."

"It would, wouldn't it? So _very_ alone, Mr. Spock."

"As there is no other person here with us and that is the concept of your usage of the word 'alone', then I can derive that the word 'very' was unneeded."

"Not necessarily. We could be alone together in a corner of a hallway back on the Enterprise, Spock, but that isn't _very_ alone. Here, there's nothing but these metal walls protecting us from the expanse of the roaring vacuum of space."

"Your explanation does not illustrate a clear differentiation, as my unambiguous definition still stands. Furthermore, I was unaware that 'alone' was a physical state that could be shared by more than one person, given the context of the word. I suggest you misuse it."

"You're right. We're alone except for each other, then."

"In such a case as it may be, that would mean that neither of us is alone at all."

"Alright, forget the alone thing. We're outside the influence of any other persons besides ourselves."

"Communications is still an applicable factor, Captain."

"So then we do not have the physical presence of another being on this shuttle with us, Mr. Spock, and we are leagues away from one. Contact over communications channels is unlikely until the set time to report, and so in my opinion, that makes us alone. Together."

"I see. That is… I concede that I do not follow your conclusion, but I must agree with your first statement. Still, I do not see how any of this is of any great pertinence."

"Maybe if I showed you, then you'd get the right idea. Well, Spock…turn around."

"Captain…? I do not understand the nature of this gesture."

"I suppose you could call it a confession, if you like."

"A confession…? Explain."

"That…would be difficult to do in words."

"Would you provide an explanation through actions alone?"

"I would."

"You are detrimentally close for any sort of demonstration. If you plan to—mm."

"…you were saying?"

"Jim…I…I must… A moment, please."

"A moment to build up your defenses, is it? To restore your logic…? To push me away…? Not a chance. You listen to me, Spock; if this was something I could avoid, I would. God only knows I've tried. My apologies for _infiltrating _your privacy, and—"

"Jim—please."

"…"

"…"

"Well, Mr. Spock…? What does your Vulcan rationale make of me?"

"I…this is not something I have experienced before. You have put me in a very strange position—not quite so metaphorically, I must admit. You realize…this is not an easy thing for me, Jim."

"I realize. I know. It probably doesn't even make sense in your logical brain, does it?"

"I believe you are breaching your own orders."

"That applied only to you…and the fact that you didn't notice is something I should likely celebrate about. You don't make mistakes often, Spock. You're the best first officer the fleet has to offer—I mean it. I don't intend to make this hard on you. You know what it is I want."

"Your pursuit of my partnership on an intimate level is…in a word, fascinating."

"Is that it? That's all you have to say? Hah. I always knew I didn't amount to much past a good specimen. Well, here's the choice. Take me, and I won't hold back. I can give you…everything. And if you don't, then you may do as you please. Resign, transfer, ignore me…stay—whatever you like. I won't get it your way."

"That does sound…interesting."

"What does?"

"…Jim, the crew. Even if I could give an answer to satisfy the both of us, what initiative could possibly be taken in the midst of your crew?"

"I don't know. I was hoping you'd help me out with that part. But I can see where this is going, so I guess I should apologize. Acting in such a way is not…logical, as you might put it. I hope you will forgive th—ah…mhmm."

"There is no need, Captain. I do not contest to your proposed course of action."

"Hmm…you _don't_?"

"Not at all. I have only one reservation."

"What's that…?"

"I would appreciate if Dr. McCoy were not to be notified of our…status."

"Oh, you can bet he'll find out anyway."

"Naturally. I would rather him discover the circumstance through his own revelations, however. It does spare me a good deal of his human misgivings."

"Misgivings…? Spock, you have no idea. He'd be delighted. Absolutely thrilled."

"Why would that—umhh, Jim, I would not consider that wise. The ears of my species are highly s-sensitive…the neural…the nerve endings…please, I implore you to stop."

"With this kind of a reaction? You're kidding me. I only wish _I_ could get that excited by someone breathing all over my ear. McCoy would be enthused because he's been dying to get an emotional response from you since the day he met you."

"…and this is an emotional response?"

"_This_, I'd say, is a little more. This is more than emotions."

"Emotions…such as love?"

"…love. You really think I would have brought this whole thing up if it wasn't?"

"I see."

"Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"That is…sufficient. I would also ask of you not to inform Dr. McCoy of this moment, in the future."

"…how illogical, Mr. Spock."


End file.
